Illustration 1: "The New Hire"

A 57-year-old female employee filed a discrimination complaint after discovering that a newly hired 32-year-old male in her work unit was making substantially more money than she was. The new hire had less experience and education but the same job title and duties. Her employer told her that the man had been making more money in his previous job, and they had to offer him a higher salary to get him "on board." He added that the organization needed young men to keep the work unit vital and growth-oriented. The employer also said that she and the other older females could not get raises due to the budget, but it should still be "worth their while to stay" at a lower salary since they were near retirement. The female employee then filed a complaint with the EEOC.